Manager/Coach Des Buckingham

[Northstandboy]

Manager Stats (Click Below)

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[billyturleyscurlywurly]

The digs were aimed at your claims that certain players had down tools and disliked the manager, now all of a sudden they have had a change of heart.

If you are going to claim a few players are that disrespectful towards the club and fans, don’t be shocked when people call it ball s**t when it is clear that isn’t the case.

It’s amusing to see who the select few are who have got so upset over mine and SE’s posts.

Let’s hope you’re still gloating in 3 weeks time & we have secured top 6!!

About time the pair of you got it right about a manager after backing a certain scouser till the bitter end

 

[Leysboy]

The digs were aimed at your claims that certain players had down tools and disliked the manager, now all of a sudden they have had a change of heart.

If you are going to claim a few players are that disrespectful towards the club and fans, don’t be shocked when people call it ball s**t when it is clear that isn’t the case.

It’s amusing to see who the select few are who have got so upset over mine and SE’s posts.

First of all sunshine. I never once claimed. I was told in confidence. Where is Mcguane…

Perhaps it’s possible Des RR and BB have had words in the gaffers office… would that be impossible?

 

[QuietYeller]

Is thete nothing to he positive about this evening? Instead of bickering?

The bickering is embarrassing. I fell into the des out bracket and still feel he isn’t right but it’s amazing how some of these folks are so stubborn that they either stop posting or just storm off like a teenager!! I give credit where it’s due, the improvement has finally come and I’d like nothing more for Des to prove me wrong because I’m a Oxford fan first and foremost, not so egotistical that all I want to be is right.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

Let’s hope you’re still gloating in 3 weeks time & we have secured top 6!!

About time the pair of you got it right about a manager after backing a certain scouser till the bitter end

Bitter end? I think you’ll find that I wanted Robinson out long before he actually went.
You make it sound like a bad thing that we will be happy in 3 weeks if we make the play offs?
Not sure anyone will be gloating considering I have said that I think we will just miss out on the play offs, although we are well and truly in the driving seat going into 3 big games!

First of all sunshine. I never once claimed. I was told in confidence. Where is Mcguane…

Perhaps it’s possible Des RR and BB have had words in the gaffers office… would that be impossible?

You mention about sniping and then do exactly that. You did claim it was those 3 players.
McGuane has been dropped after Bolton and rightly so, as was Stevens who also hasn’t made a match day squad until today and that was by default due to Bennett being injured. Does that mean he has also down tools?

Any way, I’m going to settle down and enjoy watching the EFL highlights show while you and others get angry at a few posters who have maybe highlighted some of the stuff you have said is rubbish.

 

[Leysboy]

The bickering is embarrassing. I fell into the des out bracket and still feel he isn’t right but it’s amazing how some of these folks are so stubborn that they either stop posting or just storm off like a teenager!! I give credit where it’s due, the improvement has finally come and I’d like nothing more for Des to prove me wrong because I’m a Oxford fan first and foremost, not so egotistical that all I want to be is right.

Forget the improvement.

We’ve just played 3 very crap teams, and Port Vale too, all of which we should be beating. They were all extremely poor sides.

The real signs of improvement will be the next three games. If we get positive results in them. Then that will be an improvement.

 

[Scotchegg]

Listening to "Wasn't at the Game" it was interesting to hear them talk about the importance of Des having his own people around him, with Joe Moore and Luke Taylor having recently joined the backroom team. We know how Manning had his team, and that can often help in getting your point across or to nudge people in the right direction, and I'm sure Buckingham takes confidence from having people around him who he has worked with before.

And it's clear what his style is, and that's looked fantastic, albeit against lesser opposition. Hearing Buckingham talk about changing the way that Harris makes his runs to keep him central, and you can see how scoring gives him so much more confidence. Earlier this season he was snatching at chances when running through on goal, today he looked like he had an extra yard of pace and a bucketload more confidence. Buckingham also has Murphy and Dale playing brilliantly, and that front three will terrify all defences if they keep that form up.

Not only is there plenty still to look forward to this season, there are signs that sticking with Des over the summer and investing in his style might still be the way to go after all!

 

[dickwalton1964]

The bickering is embarrassing. I fell into the des out bracket and still feel he isn’t right but it’s amazing how some of these folks are so stubborn that they either stop posting or just storm off like a teenager!! I give credit where it’s due, the improvement has finally come and I’d like nothing more for Des to prove me wrong because I’m a Oxford fan first and foremost, not so egotistical that all I want to be is right.

Couldn’t have put it better myself. I’m still not totally sold on him but might well be if he guides us through these next three games and then avoids embarrassment in the play offs (for example not getting beat something like 7-0 on aggregate in the semis by Bolton). I’m very much in the camp of just commenting on what I’m seeing and not what I want to see or am pretending to see - what’s the point in that? I’ll admit my opinion isn’t set in stone and I’m changeable - Des just needs to deliver and in fairness he’s now doing that.

The support of Des from people like SG and SE is admirable but it also looks stupid when he’s ridiculously under performing, which he has been for large parts of his reign. For anyone saying ‘told you so’ now, well, no not really. Had Des performed to anything like bang average we’d very probably be home and hosed by now and taking it easy these next four games.

The truth is that right now he’s making up for the mess he’s helped to create in his first 20 odd games but he’s now doing a bloody good job - he’s recovered brilliantly from Bolton, has found a more settled and balanced looking side as well as creating and taking chances. I’m not waiting to pick holes in Des, far from it, I hope he rams every previous critical word from me right back down my throat.

 

[Eric Blair]

I think the point someone made about having his team around him now is a good one. There have been some disappointments along the way (at home to Leyton Orient and away to Bolton) but then two 4-0s on the trot, the game against Pompey etc. There is a lot to take heart from. I reckon most of us are broadly agreed that the next few games will be challenging but we go into them with confidence.

 

[Joey]

@Scotchegg I'm genuinely not trying to get involved in some of the point scoring but I'm certain at the time you said there wasn't anything to blame the club about regarding us not getting an assistant manager (my bad if this is misremembered but I'm fairly confident it was words to that affect). Above you agree that it's been helpful to have his own people around him, do you still feel the board don't take any blame for him not having an assistant?

For what it's worth I've always said he's been stitched up and to have brought him across the world, take two months trying and failing to get him an assistant (and it was their fault) before giving up is shocking. It's a big part of the reason I've not been all that keen for him to be sacked, partly because he's been dealt an atrocious hand and partly because I've no faith in those running the show getting it right next time anyway. Even Taylor could have been in a month or so earlier if we'd been bothered to sort it but Des was left to struggle. Imagine what a difference that could have made for very little output.

I struggled to see a way back for Buckingham after the Bolton fiasco but credit to him, we've put in some very good performances since then. Most the teams we've played have been poor but you can only beat what's put in front of you and we've done that convincingly. The real test starts from Saturday, last week Fleetwood caused us loads of problems at our place and we won't get away with it against the likes of Peterborough so hopefully we're more secure. I'd absolutely love Des to be a success here, now he needs to show he can mix it with the better teams. We e battered Pompey once, matched them another time and I thought we were good value at home to Bolton in his second game and they're both better than any of the teams we'll face next week so it's certainly doable.

 

[QuietYeller]

Couldn’t have put it better myself. I’m still not totally sold on him but might well be if he guides us through these next three games and then avoids embarrassment in the play offs (for example not getting beat something like 7-0 on aggregate in the semis by Bolton). I’m very much in the camp of just commenting on what I’m seeing and not what I want to see or am pretending to see - what’s the point in that? I’ll admit my opinion isn’t set in stone and I’m changeable - Des just needs to deliver and in fairness he’s now doing that.

The support of Des from people like SG and SE is admirable but it also looks stupid when he’s ridiculously under performing, which he has been for large parts of his reign. For anyone saying ‘told you so’ now, well, no not really. Had Des performed to anything like bang average we’d very probably be home and hosed by now and taking it easy these next four games.

The truth is that right now he’s making up for the mess he’s helped to create in his first 20 odd games but he’s now doing a bloody good job - he’s recovered brilliantly from Bolton, has found a more settled and balanced looking side as well as creating and taking chances. I’m not waiting to pick holes in Des, far from it, I hope he rams every previous critical word from me right back down my throat.

Well said I’m pretty much on the page. The upturn was what was expecting and hoping for about 2 months ago. Hopefully it’s just in time!! Well done DB

 

[Scotchegg]

@Scotchegg I'm genuinely not trying to get involved in some of the point scoring but I'm certain at the time you said there wasn't anything to blame the club about regarding us not getting an assistant manager (my bad if this is misremembered but I'm fairly confident it was words to that affect). Above you agree that it's been helpful to have his own people around him, do you still feel the board don't take any blame for him not having an assistant?

The situation as I understand it was that a possible assistant was identified very early but had already committed to another role and declined the approach from Oxford. Then Des identified another target and discussions took place and an offer made. It is my understanding that this individual made the decision not to move in December/January for personal reasons but was open to a move in the summer and it was therefore agreed that Des would stick with what he had rather than to pursue a third choice.

In that scenario I don't think the board were to blame for not getting a deal done.

Your scenario, I believe, was basically the same but the decisions were down to money and looking to bring people in on the cheap, and therefore the board were responsible.

Without going through it all again, and neither of us are able to disclose why we have the views we have, then it's best left alone.

But regardless of how the assistant managers role was handled, the facts remain that Des has been a lone voice for change for much of his time here and a couple of familiar faces will have helped, and that he would have wanted these people in with or without a formal assistant.

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

I think the point someone made about having his team around him now is a good one. There have been some disappointments along the way (at home to Leyton Orient and away to Bolton) but then two 4-0s on the trot, the game against Pompey etc. There is a lot to take heart from. I reckon most of us are broadly agreed that the next few games will be challenging but we go into them with confidence.

The next four games will reveal all.

We’ve just beaten two L2 clubs of next season.

Now can we go and beat a quality Peterborough side, the form side in the league in Lincoln, a bogey kinda club managed by Steve Evans and a game versus a side who’ve got nothing to play for but a far better side than Burton/Fleetwood in Exeter.

If Des can prove these next 4 games he can get results in hard games (something he’s yet to do yet) and secure top 6 then maybe just maybe he’s the man.

In 3 weeks all will be revealed when we look at the league table and see where we are.

The play offs are a bit of a free hit but if he can secure top 6 from here then he deserves this summer and next season.

If he fails to make top 6 then I’d be behind a change.

 

[MC Yellow]

The next four games will reveal all.

We’ve just beaten two L2 clubs of next season.

That may be so, but it was only a few weeks ago that under Des we were being told that we were relegation fodder had it not been for our good start under Manning.

So clearly we have moved on from that because relegation fodder doesn’t go on to beat two similarly placed teams 4-0 on the bounce.

That said, yes the next 3 games are now the biggest, and in the context of the season, probably our toughest.

Maybe we have turned a corner (long long way to go agreed), so a point against Borough may be doable.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

The next four games will reveal all.

We’ve just beaten two L2 clubs of next season.

Now can we go and beat a quality Peterborough side, the form side in the league in Lincoln, a bogey kinda club managed by Steve Evans and a game versus a side who’ve got nothing to play for but a far better side than Burton/Fleetwood in Exeter.

If Des can prove these next 4 games he can get results in hard games (something he’s yet to do yet) and secure top 6 then maybe just maybe he’s the man.

In 3 weeks all will be revealed when we look at the league table and see where we are.

The play offs are a bit of a free hit but if he can secure top 6 from here then he deserves this summer and next season.

If he fails to make top 6 then I’d be behind a change.

Peterborough have just had a bit of a wobble recently and it could be a good time to play them.
Lincoln are starting to show that they can’t keep doing what they were and I do think we will get at least a point.
Stevenage a bogey team? We have only lost to them 3 times out of 17 games against them. They are also struggling.
We need 5 points IMO to make the play offs and that is doable!

As for a change in manager, I think at this point, it is clear Des will be given the summer and start of next season as a minimum.

 

[ECYellow]

Forget the improvement.

We’ve just played 3 very crap teams, and Port Vale too, all of which we should be beating. They were all extremely poor sides.

The real signs of improvement will be the next three games. If we get positive results in them. Then that will be an improvement.

I don’t think it’s fair to say ‘forget the improvement’ if people are going to hang on to some of the poorer displays. We can’t have it both ways, can we?

It is undeniable that we have improved, both in results and performances. Absolutely, we’ve beaten teams that we should hope to beat in this run, but football doesn’t always work like that does it? Posh lost to Carlisle a week or two ago. No game is a gimmie and Des deserves huge credit for changing us tactically.
We look much more solid defensively and scintillating going forward at times.

10 points from the last 4, +10 GD and momentum. i wouldn’t rather be any of the chasing pack and credit to that, goes to Des and the players.

 

[Jonny G]

Yep it’s pathetic little snipes at other posters. It’s all the time too.

You have the out an out positives in Egg and Gilbert. Creaming over 2 4-0 wins. Let’s see what Des comes up with from Posh,Stevenage, and Lincoln. We’ve not beaten anyone in the top six since Des arrived, but these are two posters that stuck with KR all the way up until he was fired.

I’m just pleased to see us win, and didn’t see us back in the top six again this season.

But it’s too early to be scolding people, just because they think differently to them. Anyone that goes against there view is bad.

I think the dig/ gloat / fact was that you'd said we wouldn't end up back in top 6 this season.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

As for a change in manager, I think at this point, it is clear Des will be given the summer and start of next season as a minimum.

That may be the case but if we lose all of the final four games 3/4/5-0 then I don’t think it should be… (not that I think we will)

I think it’s very fair to reserve judgement on Des until the end of the season. He’s definitely turned things around after a poor start - win the next two games and we’re in the playoffs, and whatever happens next he deserves credit for that.

 

[Swaby39]

I think the dig/ gloat / fact was that you'd said we wouldn't end up back in top 6 this season.

And right up until this weekend it genuinely looked like that could have been the case. It was just an opinion, a wrong one as it proved (oh no!), made before a very impressive display yesterday that might set the cat amongst the pigeons where the opinions on Des are concerned. I certainly didn’t expect it based on what I’ve been watching since November including last week’s 4-0 win where I felt we still looked a pretty average and top heavy side that would be dismantled quite easily by a side with more confidence and quality. Yesterday was different and felt different - it was a damn efficient display.

For people to say or make out like it was obvious that would happen and they were right all along just makes me want to fork my eyes out because for starters there were minimal signs of imminent success, 3 of the last 4 opponents would be lucky to survive in league 2 based on those displays. Secondly, we have the much bigger tests ahead now -we passed the test in doing the necessary (sort of, Shrewsbury still not forgotten). Now we have to go and do the critical. Lastly, we have ALL been wrong sometimes about someone or something - deal with it better.

But I’m glad it’s turning. Nobody WANTS Des to fail. Nobody. It’s made me think maybe he can work for us. Maybe there is some method after all, maybe he is winning the players over (and yes I do absolutely believe a section of the players felt he wasn’t up to it) and maybe his decisions with certain players are now justifying themselves - maybe. Let’s see how this all translates to games against opponents who can go toe to toe with us because he still has everything to prove there.

 

[battman]

If he fails to make top 6 then I’d be behind a change.

So even if he misses out by a point or two, you want us to rip up our future planning by sacking our manager who's now settled in, started to bring in his own staff, and is now shaping the squad into his vision in terms of tactics and personnel?

I think even if we lose our last four games (not that I think we will though) Des should be given the summer to see what he can do. This means shipping out the last of the poor-value players from Karl's reign and anyone who's 'downed tools', bringing in more of his style of player and backroom staff in a full summer window, and having a whole pre-season to drill his side into his way of playing.

If we sack Des, not only will that mean there's less money around for players, but it means you lose loads of time planning for the next season. Taking weeks to appoint a new manager, deciding contracts based on a new boss who's not seen them up close, and trying to start yet another rebuild with our fourth manager in less than 18 months. I feel too many in modern football are happy to call for a manager's head without thinking about the negative knock-on implications it has for the rest of the setup.

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

So even if he misses out by a point or two, you want us to rip up our future planning by sacking our manager who's now settled in, started to bring in his own staff, and is now shaping the squad into his vision in terms of tactics and personnel?

I think even if we lose our last four games (not that I think we will though) Des should be given the summer to see what he can do. This means shipping out the last of the poor-value players from Karl's reign and anyone who's 'downed tools', bringing in more of his style of player and backroom staff in a full summer window, and having a whole pre-season to drill his side into his way of playing.

If we sack Des, not only will that mean there's less money around for players, but it means you lose loads of time planning for the next season. Taking weeks to appoint a new manager, deciding contracts based on a new boss who's not seen them up close, and trying to start yet another rebuild with our fourth manager in less than 18 months. I feel too many in modern football are happy to call for a manager's head without thinking about the negative knock-on implications it has for the rest of the setup.

Yes because I’m judging it on his whole time since taking over and won’t be just the last 4 games.

We have to make top 6, no excuses for me.

Otherwise it is a massive failure.